5 Decade-Old Cars We'd Still Drive (And 5 We'd Ditch)

A recent report from Experian Automotive says that the average age of the cars on U.S. roads is now 11 years. We decided to dial back the clock to George W. Bush's first term and see which 2001 cars we'd love to see in our drivewayand which we could

A recent report from Experian Automotive says that the average age of the cars on U.S. roads is now 11 years. We decided to dial back the clock to George W. Bush's first term and see which 2001 cars we'd love to see in our driveway—and which we could do without.

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The Good: Acura Integra Type-R

Why We Want It: There was a time when Honda products were infused with serious engineering enthusiasm—Hondas and Acuras were rewarding to drive and packed with tech. The high point for affordable performance within the Honda family was the Acura Intergra Type-R. The lightweight coupe was one the most hardcore Japanese sport-compacts of the day and came packing a four-cylinder that made its 195 hp peak way up at 8000 rpm. Every action the driver takes in this car feels brilliantly mechanical and direct. The manual transmission shifts as well as any front-wheel drive gearbox we've ever experienced.

What's The Damage: Sadly, 2001 was the very last year Acura built the Type-R, and many of these cars were used up or modified during the peak of the sport-compact movement. NADA Guides says that the '01 Type-R with 50,000 miles will cost you $13,550—if you can even find one.

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CarPictures dot com/Flickr

The Good: Audi S8

Why We Want It: The Audi S8 should have been every magazine's car of the year for 2001. It was Audi's first shot at a high-performance large sedan to compete against the sportiest BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class models, and it was a fantastic vehicle. There was warm and expensive Alcantara on the headliner and supportive leather seats up front. It rode on an advanced aluminum space frame and came paired with a 360-hp V-8 channeled to all four wheels. The S8 provided a velvety ride, yet its balance in the corners was exemplary. In fact, the S8 was so good to drive that it landed a starring role in John Frankenheimer's iconic car chase film Ronin.

What's The Damage: The first-generation S8, built from 2001 to 2003, is a serious bargain. NADA says a clean one with 50,000 miles will run you about $15,000. You're more likely to find a higher-mileage S8. With 150,000 miles on the clock, NADA says the price drops to just over $10,000.

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The Good: BMW 740i

Why We Want It: Just look at it. The E38-generation BMW 7-Series that debuted in the 1995 model year was drop-dead gorgeous. This biggest of Bimmer sedans had a 282-hp 4.4-liter V-8 connected to a five-speed automatic. The big 740i was a smooth operator and particularly adept at eating up freeway miles by the hundreds at super-legal speeds.

The 2001 models were the last of the E38s. Many came equipped with the optional sport package that added 18-inch wheels. The next year, the all-new 2002 7-Series arrived with its new Chris Bangle-designed sheet metal and frustratingly obtuse iDrive controller system. It was ugly and unloved. Long live the E38.

What's The Damage: The 740i, as attractive as it was, had complicated systems that were troublesome and expensive. We've known one particular 1995 model that needed its climate-control switch panel replaced twice. The second and third owners of these cars became increasingly unlikely to fix these cars properly. As a result, a 2001 740i with only 50,000 miles will cost just under $12,000 according to Kelly Blue Book.

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zombieite/Flickr

The Good: Dodge Viper

Why We Want It: The original Viper from the early '90s was a concept car come to life. And it drove like one. But Dodge had buffed the Viper's rough edges clean by 2001. That year's Viper had a 450-hp V-10 between its flanks, and this beast could burn up the quarter-mile in just a tick over 12.6 seconds, according to a 2001 Car and Driver comparison test.

We dig the original RT/10 droptop model, but the GTS hardtop is the most practical. That iconic Viper style would be around for just one more year past 2001 before a significant remodel. The next Viper would gain some horsepower (for a total of 500 at first and then 600 later) and add some comfort, but it just didn't carry the same impact.

What's The Damage: Viper prices are all over the place. We've seen plenty of early Vipers for sale on eBay with a handful of miles that are going for $50,000. Kelly Blue Book says 2001 models with around 50,000 miles should go for about $40,000. That's not inexpensive, but this is a seriously fun American supercar.

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The Good: Ford Mustang Bullitt GT

Why We Want It: In 2001, Ford gave the word a sneak peak at the future. The Bullitt Mustang was a tribute to the classic 1968 GT Steve McQueen drove in the film Bullitt. It also foreshadowed the retro Mustang that would come in 2005. The Bullitt had a bit more power (265 hp), it was lowered and wore classic American Racing Torque Thrust-style wheels. It was a subtle package, but it was one of the best driving Mustangs of the SN95 generation. Ford built this car in limited numbers for 2001 to 2002.

What's The Damage: The Bullitt cost $27,300 when new, which wasn't cheap—consider that a base 2012 Mustang GT with 412 hp is only $30,095. Luckily, the Bullitt 'Stangs have depreciated somewhat. We found a spotless 2001 with 27,000 miles on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $13,980.

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The Bad: Cadillac Catera

Why We Loathe It: Cadillac launched the Catera in 1996 with a series of bizarre TV commercials that billed it as "The Caddy that zigs." In other words, this car was Cadillac's first real attempt at a sports sedan. In reality, the rebadged rear-drive Opel Omega was heavy (close to 400 pounds more than the competition) and packed a lethargic 200-hp V-6, so it was slower than its peers. In addition, it came with no manual transmission. That was a crucial oversight, especially in 2001, before the era of the manu-matic gearbox.

The Catera came before Caddy's now-signature "Art and Science" design language. It had to make do with Opel's anonymous sheet metal that made it look like a bloated Chevy Cavalier—not exactly the right stuff for a world-beating sports sedan. But perhaps the Catera's worst offense? It was downright unreliable.

On the Plus Side: The Catera bit the dust in 2002, and when it did, it made room for the CTS. That car stood as the harbinger of great Cadillacs to come. The CTS charted Cadillac's design and engineering trajectory for the next 10 years (and it came with a manual). Today we have the Catera's successor to thank for the great cars coming from GM's top division.

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The Bad: Buick Century

Why We Loathe It: By 2001, Buick's Century nameplate had been around for nearly a half century. But this would be the last generation of Buick's famed entry-level sedan. Why? Because it was terrible.

The Century rode on the W chassis that underpinned the rest of GM's midsized cars, but because it was the cheapest of the lot, the Century handled like the prototypical Buick of decades before—sloppy. To make matters worse, Buick used a pokey 175-hp 3.1-liter V-6. The more upscale Regal—a car that looked nearly identical to the Century—got a more reliable, better performing 3.8-liter. That was the car to buy. The Regal even offered a 240-hp supercharged version of that V-6. The Century, on the other hand, offered optional "aluminum wheels, cruise control and color keyed outside mirrors" for its top model. Um, yeah.

On the Plus Side: Like Cadillac, Buick used a dud to turn itself around. The company is now in the business of building some truly solid cars and crossovers. Today its lowest-priced machine, the Verano, is a much better attempt at entry-level luxury than the Century was. And the latest Regal GS is a 270-hp sport sedan that clobbers 60 mph in 6.2-seconds. The old Century simply seems like a bad memory.

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The Bad: Pontiac Aztek

Why We Loathe It: 2001 gave us the Aztek, and everyone hates the Aztek. The hideous crossover is on nearly every list of ugliest cars or worst cars of all time (including ours).

Ugly we could forgive, but the Aztek earns a special demerit for helping to kill one of the classic car brands. GM could have (and should have) built a fun, exciting crossover its sporty division—Pontiac deserved something like an Audi Q5. Instead, the Aztek was based on GM's minivan chassis and drove like one too. This monstrosity was one of the biggest nails in Pontiac's coffin. GM killed the brand in 2010.

On the Plus Side: Speaking of learning from failure, the Aztek debacle taught General Motors to build a smarter, more attractive large crossover. In 2007 it launched the successful GMC Acadia, a vehicle that would spawn Buick, Saturn, and Chevrolet versions. ‘

As for the Aztek, GM stopped making its ugly duckling in 2005, but that wasn't the end. The car wound up in a starring role on the hit show Breaking Bad as the trusted and rather abused steed of main character Walter White, a meth-cooking chemistry teacher played by Bryon Cranston. The perfect vehicle for a guy whose life has spiraled out of control? Perhaps.

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The Bad: Mercury Cougar

Why We Loathe It: For the 1999 model year, Mercury delivered a fresh and modern Cougar. The downsized car was based on the European Ford Mondeo and lost its V-8 power, rear-wheel drive and stodgy old-world proportions, instead promising a sporty and youthful experience.

Two problems: This wasn't a real sports coupe—it was just a sporty-looking coupe. Even worse for Ford was the fact that it sold this car in Mercury dealerships, a place where no young Gen Xers would tread, while traditional Mercury Cougar buyers wouldn't look at the new one.

The Cougar, as unloved as it was, became the very last original Mercury (one that wasn't a complete clone of a Ford product). It left the lineup in 2003. Mercury itself closed its doors last year.

On the Plus Side: The failure of the Mercury Cougar meant that Ford would never again try to sell a half-baked front-drive sports coupe. In fact, in 2001 Ford launched the brilliant SVT Focus, a real driver's two-door hatchback in the spirit of the VW GTI. Now that's a car from 2001 we'd like to own today.

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The Bad: Chrysler PT Cruiser

Why We Loathe It: The PT Cruiser, a retro-styled mini-wagon based on the Neon compact chassis, debuted in 2000. And as strange as it is to remember this today, the PT became a hit. It even made Car and Driver's 10 best list in 2001.

Some PTs were cosmetically customized like little hot rods and gained a strange cult following among baby boomers. But, though Chrysler wanted to reach a younger audience, it was impossible for anyone under the age of 50 to look cool in a PT Cruiser. Later, a convertible and a turbocharged version arrived. They didn't make anyone look or feel less dorky when driving a PT.

On the Plus Side:
Chrysler put the PT to pasture in 2010. It was time. We certainly won't miss the PT design, but the idea of a small and tall and fuel-efficient wagon makes sense. Perhaps Chrysler will build such a car based on the new Dodge Dart.

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